Outboard motor



F. T. IRGENS OUTBOARD MOTOR Nov. 30, 1937.

Filed June 14, 1934 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 1 9 37 obnoandmdfibnf Finn '1. Irgens, Wauwatosa, I comraflom fl hawiu Outboard Motors Application June 14, 19:4, in. 130,545

comm. (cl. l s -1s) This invention relates to improvements in outboard motors, and has particular reference tothe parts which connect the engine or power head I with the lower unit;

It is the object of." the invention to provide means for simplifying the construction of a drive shaft housing and associated parts, eliminating irregularities, and providing a smoothenneater, and more attractive organization without inter fering with the exhaust or water pipes in the normal steering movement of the parts.

More specifically, it is a purpose of the invene tion to carry the smooth wall surfaces of a streamlined lower unit upwardly past the bracket to a l6 hooded power headgby providing a complementary exhaust pipe and swivelhousing joint upon the radius on which the drive shaft housing turns within the swivel housing, so that the exhaust pipe and the shaft housing connecting the power head and lower unit can turn freely with respect tothe swivel housing member but will nevertheless be so formed andorganized that in the normal position of the parts the'assembly will appear unitary and smooth walled.

v It is another object of the-invention to provide a novel organization of exhaust and water'passages, and also to provide an improved organiza-, tion of the swivel bearing with reference to the transom bracket. In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an outboard motor embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a view taken in section in the plane indicated at 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view taken in section in the plane indicated at 33 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken in the plane indicated at'4-4 in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating a slightly modified embodiment of the invention and showing the parts in a position turned for steering.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

It will be noted that the lower unit 5 is of a streamlined form which is now well known. To it is attached a correspondingly streamlined section at 6 in which the water pump mechanism is conventionally housed.

At the upper end of the outboard motor is a power head in which projecting gadgets have been eliminated and the design unified by an arrangement such that the forward face 1 of the cylinder block 8 has a planiform portion abutted by the hood 9 which encloses the usual spark plugs and carburetor. Atthe rear of the cylinder block isa mumer Ill. harmonized as to design with the hood 9 and the end of the cylinder block 8. Above this is the usual the] tank II in front of which a hood 12 covers the vfly-wheel 5 and starter. a I

In the past the portion of adirigib'le outboard 7 motor between the power head and the lower unit hasgbeen irregular of surface and, unsightly in appearance, presenting numerous crevices and 10 pockets in which grease and dirt may accumulate when the motor is in use and in which branches may catch when the motor is being carried,

In the present device the power head is mounted inthe usual manner at the upper endof a drive 15 v shaft casing I 5 through which extends the upright driveshaft l6 leading from the engine to the propeller shaft gearing which is conventional and hence is not illustrated' The tubular drive shaft housing l5 serves in the usual way to con- 20 nect the. power head with the lower unit so that these parts turn unitarily for steering. Also serving as a connection between the power head and the lower unit, isthe exhaust pipe I! which, instead of being circular in cross section 25 in accordance with theusual practice, has the peculiar form best shown in Figs. 2 and 3., Its

exterior wall surfaces are rearwardly convergent and preferably convex, so that the appearance of the external portion of theexhaust pipe I! cor- 30 responds to that of the rear portion of a streamlined body. Its forward wall l8, however, is concave upon an are drawn about the axis of the drive shaft It as a center, this being the axis upon which the dirigible parts turn for steering. 35

The sleeve 20 which serves as a swivel sleeve in which the outboard motor turns for steering, has at It! afsurface convexly complementary to the concave wall l8 of the exhaust manifold. Its exterior wall surfaces will, in the normal position 40 of the dirigible parts, align with the exterior wall surfaces of the exhaust manifold to provide forward extensions of the streamline effect, as clearly appears from Figs. 2 and 3.

At the upper and lower ends of the swivel 45 housing 20 the swivel housing is provided with bearings for the support of the outboard motor assembly for rotation in steering. The construc-' tion is preferably in accordance with United States Patent No. 1,932,735, a rubber cushion being provided at 2| between the swivel housing 20 and the shaft housing l5, and a second rubber cushion being p ovided at 22 between the shaft housing l5 and the sleeve 23 to which the tiller lever 24 is fixed, the tiller sleeve 23 being 55 swiveled in the upper end of swivel housing 23 to be held against vibration thereby, notwithstanding such independent vibration of the outboard motor assembly as is permitted by the cushions II and 22. The internal and external peripheral portions of the cushion 22 may be anchored by vulcanization or otherwise to the shaft housing and the tiller sleeve respectively, so. that the movement of-the tiller and tiller sleeve will be transmitted to the outboard motor assembly for steering purposes.

The swivel housing 20 has a forwardly projecting arm at 25 which is pivoted at 23 in the usual manner to a transom bracket 21. This bracket preferably omits entirely the conventional rearwardly projecting segment arms, and in lieu thereof is machined between its reinforcing flanges 28 to provide a box-like recess into which the forward portion of the swivel housing 20 is receivable to a greater or less depth according to the position of the adjustable thrust bolt 29 in one of the several apertures 30 provided in the flanges 28.

It will be noted that the swivel housing 20 is made in two parts in accordance with the teachings of Patent No. 1,932,785 above referred to, the lower wall surfaces of the forward part being streamlined at 32 in accordance with the wall surfaces of the rearward part as already described. Between the flanges 28 of the bracket, however, the wall surfaces of the forward portion of swivel housing 20 arepreferably substantially rectilinear in section as shown at 33 in Fig. 2.

It is preferred that in this construction the water connections should be led to the engine through the exhaust manifold ll. An ordinary pipe may be used as shown at 34 or, if the exhaust manifold be cast. an internal partition may be provided as indicated at 35 to provide a water passage 36 as shown in Fig. 5.

Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive show the parts in their normal forward propulsion position, and it will be noted how successfully the streamlining of the lower unit is carried up about the shaft housing to thepower head. Notwithstanding the effect thus produced in the. normal position of the parts, the power head and lower unit towith the connecting drive shaft l5 and manifold II are turnable unitarily for gether exhaust steering, the surfaces l8 and I9 being rotatable with respect to each other about the drive shaft axis as shown in Fig. 5.

I claim:

1. In an outboard motor, the combination with a lower unit and power head, of means interposed between said lower unit and power head which are relatively movable in the dirigible movement of said lower unit, said means being together provided with complementary exposed surfaces each of which comprises an extension of the other in the normalposition of the parts and with complementary forward and rearward surfaces laterally movable with respect to each other upon the dirigible movement of the lower unit, one of said means being connected with said lower unit to turn therewith.

2. In an outboard motor, the combination with a power head and lower unit, of a relatively stationary swivel housing interposed between said power head and lower unit and upon which said outboard motor is dirigible, and a fluid conduit connecting said power head and lower unit a,1oo,sse

ing smooth exposed surfaces complementary to each other in the normal forward propelling position of the lower unit and conduit and having complementary surfaces permitting the arcuate movement of said conduit about the center on which the outboard motor is dirigible respecting the swivel housing.

3. In an outboard motor, ,the combination with a dirigible lower unit, of a swivel housing provided with means affording a bearing for the dirigible movement of the lower unit, and a part connected with the lower unit and projecting upwardly at the rear of the swivel housing, said part and swivel housing having complementary side surfaces registering in the normal forward propelling position of the lower unit and comable laterally with respect to each other upon 'the occurrence of dirigible movement betwee the lower unit and swivel housing. r

4. In an outboard motor, the combination with a smooth wall surfaced lower unit of generally streamlined contour, of a shaft housing connected with said lower unit, an exhaust pipe connected with said lower unit and spaced from said shaft housing, and a swivel housing providing bearings for said shaft housing and extending into close proximity to said exhaust pipe, said pipe 'and swivel housing having complementary surfaces, together comprising in one position of the parts an upward extension of the wall surfaces of the lower unit, said surfaces being so organized as to permit the dirigible movement of the exhaust pipe with the lower unit and about the swivel housing.

5. In an outboard motor, the combination with a power head and lower unit, of a swivel housing having smooth walled contour provided with vertically spaced bearing portions, means providing bearings in said portions for said power head and lower unit, and means connecting said power head and lower unit and movable relatively to said housing in an arc concentric with said hearing means; said connecting means and housing having complementary surfaces laterally formed to be flush with each other in the normal forward propelling position of the housing.

6. In an outboard motor, the combination with a swivel housing, a drive shaft housing journaled therein and a power head and lower unit connected by the drive shaft housing, of an exhaust pipe connecting said power head and lower unit externally of said drive shafthousing and swivel housing and so contoured as to be complementary thereto to comprise a substantially smooth walled composite structure, and means providing a water passage internally of said exhaust pipe for conducting water from said lower unit to said power head about the journals provided for said shaft housing.

'7. In an outboard motor, the combination with a bracket, of a swivel housing pivotally connected with the bracket and provided with bearings, a propelling unit swiveled in said bearings, rearwardly projecting means on said bracket spaced at each side of said swivel housing, and 'a thrust member adjustably connected between said means to receive the thrust of said swivel housing and disposed wholly forwardly of said housing, whereby said housing is freely movable pivotally rearwardly therefrom, the sides of said swivel housing comprising externally smooth walls elongated to a greater distance beyond said bearings in a direction away from the pivotal connection with said bracket than in a direction upwardly and having externally smooth side toward said thrust receiving member. walls elongated to a materially greater distance 8. In an outboard motor, the combination with aft of said axis than forwardly thereof, said unit a bracket, of a swivel housing pivotally connected comprising an upper portion above said swivel with the bracket and provided with bearings, a housing, a lower portion below said swivel houspropeller unit swiveled in said bearings for dirigiing, and a tube connecting said portions immedi- 5 ble movement on an upright axis, a thrust memately aft of said housing, said tube having side ber adjustably connected to transmit the thrust surfaces complementary to the externally smooth of said unit to said bracket, whereby to limit thev walls of the swivel housing to be substantially pivotal movement of said housing in one direcflush with said walls in a normal forward pro- 10 tion with respect to the bracket, the housing bepelling position of said unit. ing freely movable pivotally in a direction aft and FINN T. IRGENS. 

